Grevillea plant named &#39;Kings Fire&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Grevillea  plant named ‘Kings Fire’, characterized by its bright red-colored inflorescences, light green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/230,019 filed May 22, 2015.

LATIN NAME OF GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Grevillea hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Kings Fire’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Grevillea plant botanically known as Grevillea hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Kings Fire’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in West Perth, Australia during March 2011. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Grevillea cultivars that have large inflorescences with attractive colors.

The new Grevillea cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is a Grevillea nivea proprietary breeding selection not coded, not patented, characterized by its medium red-colored inflorescences, light green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is Grevillea hybrid ‘Crowning Glory’, not patented, characterized by its medium yellow-colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, trailing growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during March 2012 in a controlled environment in in West Perth, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since March 2012 in West Perth Australia and Valley Center, Calif. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Kings Fire’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Grevillea plant:

-   -   1. Bright red-colored inflorescences;     -   2. Light green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having a larger inflorescence and from plants of the male parent primarily in inflorescence color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Grevillea cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Red Hooks’, not patented. However, in side-by-side comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Red Hooks’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a leaf shape different from         plants of ‘Red Hooks’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a bud color different from         plants of ‘Red Hooks’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have an inflorescence color that         is a shade of red different from plants of ‘Red Hooks’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Kings Fire’. The plants are approximately two-years old and were grown in three-gallon containers for approximately 16 months in an outdoor nursery in Valley Center, Calif. Plants were given two pinches during the 16 month growth period.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Kings Fire’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘Kings Fire’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in December 2015 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe two-year old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in an outdoor nursery in Valley Center, Calif. Temperatures for this period ranged from 72° F. to 78° F. (22° C. to 26° C.) during the day to 52° F. to 58° F. (11° C. to 14° C.) during the night. The plants were grown in three-gallon containers for approximately 16 months utilizing a soilless growth medium. Plants were given two pinches during the 16 month growth period.

Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Grevillea hybrid cultivar Kings Fire. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Grevillea nivea proprietary breeding             selection not coded, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Grevillea hybrid ‘Crowning Glory’, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 12 to 16 weeks.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 20 to 24             weeks.         -   Root description.—Light brown in color, fine.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, tight groupings of small             rootlets. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 16 to 24 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a one-gallon container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             upright.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 25.0 cm. Width: Approximately 40.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances             branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:             Approximately 6.         -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length to base of peduncle:             Approximately 22.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Length of central internode: Approximately 1.8 cm. Texture:             Tomentose. Pubescence color: NN155D. Color of young stems:             146C, color appears lighter due to pubescence. Color of             mature stems: 199A with N200B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate.             Fragrance: None detected.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape: 8 to 10 lobed,             lobes linear and clustered closer to apex. Margin: Entire,             pinnatisect; leaf margins curve downwards enclosing the             lower surface of the leaf. Apex of lobes: Acute. Base:             Narrowly attenuate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of             mature leaf: Approximately 9.0 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 6.0 cm. Texture of upper surface: Immature             leaves moderately pubescent, scattered silky hairs, becomes             sparsely pubescent with development. Texture of lower             surface: Tomentose with the exception of midvein. Pubescence             color: NN155D. Color of upper surface of young foliage:             137A, color appears slightly lighter due to pubescence,             indistinguishable venation. Color of lower surface of young             foliage: Closest to 137C, color appears slightly lighter due             to pubescence, indistinguishable venation. Color of upper             surface of mature foliage: 137A, venation indistinguishable.             Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 138A, color             appears slightly lighter due to pubescence,             indistinguishable venation. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Kings Fire’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming in Zones 9a through 11.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 3 weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Raceme. Self-cleaning. Shape:             Secund conflorescence, florets primarily facing one side.             Aspect: Facing upward and outward. Arrangement: Terminal and             from leaf axils. Fragrance: None detected. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 5. Diameter: Approximately 2.7 cm.             Depth: Approximately 10.0 cm.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 4 to 6 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open floret.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Globular. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Tomentose.             Pubescence color: NN155D. Color: 144A with 187A appears to             be off-white due to pubescence.         -   Florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 100.             Arrangement: Primarily in pairs. Length: Approximately             2.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm.         -   Perianth.—Shape: Tubular with a ventral limb, becomes             revolute during anthesis. Length: Approximately 8.0 mm.             Diameter at widest point: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter at             base: Approximately 2.0 mm.         -   Tepals.—Quantity: 4. Shape: Linear. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Acute. Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Width: Approximately             2.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Tomentose. Pubescence             color: NN155D. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous. Color of             outer surface when fully open: 180A, appears to be off-white             due to pubescence. Color of inner surface when fully open:             180A.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture: Tomentose. Pubescence color: NN155D. Color: 145A,             appears white due to pubescence.         -   Rachis.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately 10.0 mm.             Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of outer surface:             Tomentose. Pubescence color: NN155D. Color: 145A appears             white due to pubescence.         -   Pedicle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm.             Texture of outer surface: Tomentose. Pubescence color:             NN155D. Color: 145D appears lighter due to pubescence.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anthers located within             perianth limb and basally attached to perianth. Anther             quantity. 4 per floret. Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther             length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: N34A with             surface facing tepals of 163A. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen             color: 163D. Gynoecium: Stigma functions as a pollen             presenter holding pollen for pollinators to remove until             stigma matures becoming receptive to cross pollination.             Nectary located at base of ovary. Pistil quantity: 1 per             floret. Pistil length: Approximately 2.8 mm. Stigma shape:             Funnel. Stigma length: Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: 163A.             Style length: Approximately 2.6 cm. Style color: N34A to             N34B. Ovary length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary texture:             Tomentose. Pubescence color: NN155D. Ovary color: 144A,             appears white due to pubescence. Nectary size: Approximately             1.0 mm in length and 2.0 mm in width. Nectary color: 163B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Grevillea has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Grevillea plant named ‘Kings Fire’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 